Текст книги "Redeemed"

Автор книги: P. C. Cast

Соавторы: Kristin Cast,P. C. Cast
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Текущая страница: 17 (всего у книги 21 страниц)

Quietly and quickly, Lynette went to the small closet where the vampyres had hung her clothes. She changed from the hospital smock into her slacks and sweater. She exchanged her slippers for the attractive black ballet flats she’d worn the night before.

And then she tiptoed down the hallway. She paused at the door to the healer’s office. Lynette could see the back of Margareta’s head. She was studying a large computer screen that was showing the local news. Lynette watched, silent and horrified, as someone’s iPhone caught Kalona’s death. First it had focused on the rooftop balcony, as if waiting for something to happen. The immortal came suddenly into view, hovering with his enormous wings spread, his arms opened wide as he faced the balcony, looking like he was positioning himself to catch something. Or someone, Lynette thought the first time the video played through. And then she heard several cracks, one right after another, and Kalona’s body was hurled backward. Shots, Lynette realized. Neferet shot him! The camera followed Kalona’s fall. He tumbled end over end, landing on his back—broken and bloody—in the middle of the street where not long before he had led her from the Mayo.

Lynette couldn’t make herself move until she’d watched the video play again. Then, as Margareta tapped replay once more, Lynette made her legs move. She held her breath until she was through the exit door and had closed it quietly behind her.

Even then she didn’t pause. She knew she was on the third floor of the building at the edge of campus. She knew the way off campus as she had been very much awake and aware when the detective and Kalona had driven her there. She’d also seen the long line of cars that filled the school’s parking lot to overflowing, so that people had had to park over the curb up and down Utica Street.

Lynette reached the ground-level door and paused, solidifying her plan. If she was questioned on her way out, she would say that she had decided to go home, that her adult daughter needed her. People weren’t being kept as prisoners at the House of Night. As long as Lynette was not recognized, she would be free to come and go.

If she was recognized and stopped—what then?

Then they will have to keep me prisoner, and they have no reason to do so. It’s a House of Night, but it’s still America. I’m still free!

But by the time Lynette reached the big iron gates, she realized she had no need to worry about being stopped or questioned. There was no one patrolling the walls of the school. All of their attention was turned inward.

It was a little over three miles from the House of Night to the Mayo Hotel. Lynette walked. As she walked, she cleared her mind and then ordered her thoughts, focusing only on what had been most important to her for more than twenty years—making her business successful.

I am going to finish the job I started. I am going to finish the job I started. I am going to finish the job I started …

By the time Lynette reached West Fifth Street, her intent was solidly set. She walked calmly, not hurrying, taking in the roadblock and the uniformed officers who leaned against their cars, drinking coffee and talking to one another. There were other civilians in the vicinity. They wore lanyards, and Lynette recognized a few of them as reporters from the local networks. She remained calm, and she kept walking, settling comfortably into the role she’d played countless times over the past two decades. Lynette faded into the background. It was a unique and important talent. She had learned years ago that if one was to be a success in the event-planning business, one must have the ability to blend with the decorations—to stay out of the pictures—to keep the focus on the bride and not on oneself.

It worked for Lynette then as it had so many times before—right up until the Mayo was in view and she slipped quietly past the final police car in the roadblock. A uniformed officer was standing beside the car obviously trying to calm down a plump blond woman who was crying hysterically and clutching the hand of a tall, balding man.

“We have to know if our daughter is okay!” the bald man was shouting at the officer over the woman’s crying. “Kylee Jackson is her name. She’s the Mayo’s receptionist.”

“Please let us go see her!” the woman sobbed.

“Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, you have to stay back. Please, I understand how upset you must be, but we have a task force at the downtown station that is handling all of the inquiries of the victims’ families.”

“They aren’t telling us shit!” Mr. Jackson said.

“They’re telling you everything—”

Holding her breath, Lynette began to sneak past the distracted officer.

“Hey, hang on there! You gotta stay back behind the cars,” the officer called to her. “No one’s allowed past here.”

Lynette turned and smiled at him. “Oh, no problem officer. I just wanted to thank you. You’re doing an excellent job in a very difficult situation. I appreciate your service, as do Mr. and Mrs. Jackson.” He returned her smile. The moment his shoulders relaxed and he turned back to the couple, Lynette sprinted away. Her blood pumped so loudly in her ears she couldn’t hear what the officer was shouting at her. Just run. Run as if your life depends upon it, she told herself.

The buildings seemed to whiz past her as Lynette ran, expecting any moment to be tackled—or even shot. Not expecting to make it.

When she reached the shrouded Mayo, Lynette was too shocked to hesitate. She hurled herself against the door, paying no heed to the fetid, bloody curtain that had become the building’s skin.

“Goddess! Let me in! Neferet, please! I’ve come back to you!” She pounded her fists against the slick surface of the door.

“Lady, get back here!” The cop had caught up with her and lunged forward to grab her arm.

The wall of flame blazed, setting him afire.

Horrified, Lynette watched him stagger back, screaming in agony as other officers, who had been physically restraining the Jacksons from following her, took off their jackets and tried to smother the flames.

With the sound of a bandage being torn from a fresh wound, the black curtain parted and the door to the Mayo opened.

Lynette bolted inside, gasping and trying to catch her breath.

“How dare you leave me!”

Neferet was standing on the landing between the floor-level ballroom and the mezzanine. The black serpents writhed all around her feet, covering the white marble of the landing and making it look as if it were alive with them.

With the single-minded intensity she had been practicing for the two hours it had taken her to walk there, Lynette went to the middle of the ballroom and knelt, bowing her head.

“Forgive me, Goddess. I was wrong. I should have never left unless you said my job was finished and you no longer needed me.”

“You let him take you away! You betrayed me!”

“Forgive me, Goddess. Not because I deserve it, but because you deserve better.”

“I deserved your loyalty!” Neferet battered Lynette with words as she glided down from the landing.

“Yes,” Lynette said. She didn’t lift her head. She squeezed her eyes closed so that she couldn’t see the serpents that slithered around her. “And you have it. I have returned to you of my own volition.”

“And why would you do that?”

“I came back because I left a job undone, and in the entire time I have been in business I have never done that. I don’t intend to start now,” Lynette said truthfully.

“We shall see about that!”

Lynette felt the violation as Neferet’s mind probed hers. She trembled, holding her breath until the Goddess’s will departed, leaving a pounding ache in her temples.

“You did return of your own will. You do want to complete your job.”

Lynette was relieved enough at the surprise in Neferet’s voice that she opened her eyes, though she did not lift her head.

“Please forgive me and allow me to finish what I started for you,” she said.

“Do not think you fool me! I feel your loyalty. I also feel that it is based in fear and is self-serving.”

“I don’t deny that, Goddess. Since the moment I offered my services to you, I have not denied that.”

“No, you control your fear and use your selfish nature to my benefit. Or you did until you betrayed me.” Neferet’s voice had softened.

“I still do,” Lynette said. “I passed through the wall of fire without being burned. I have no ill intent whatsoever.”

Lynette could see that the Goddess was pacing because the terrible serpents crawled back and forth, shadowing her every movement.

Finally, Neferet halted, so close to Lynette that she could see her bare feet. “Look at me,” she commanded.

Lynette lifted her head and met her Goddess’s gaze without flinching.

“Everything you have said is true, but tell me why I shouldn’t command one of my children to possess you. You would still have the ability to perform your duties for me, and I would not have to worry about you running off again. It seems a good solution to your recent history of questionable loyalty.”

Lynette drew a deep breath, forcing down the panic that threatened to choke her. With the pretense of calm, she said not what she had intended, not what she had practiced over and over again until the thought consumed her. Instead Lynette spoke the small, silent thing that she had kept buried beneath her single-mindedness. “Because I believe you truly care about me and you know how badly I am frightened of being possessed by one of your children. Goddess, I can prove my loyalty to you with the information I bring. I’ve been inside the House of Night. I’ve listened to Zoey and Aphrodite and Stevie Rae. They said the protective barrier is draining Thanatos. That the more it has to work, the faster it will drain her, until finally she won’t be able to keep it up at all.”

Neferet’s face went utterly blank. Then slowly, the Goddess bent and placed both of her hands on Lynette’s cheeks, cupping her face.

Lynette froze, unable to think. Unable to move.

Neferet kissed her softly but fully on the mouth.

“Rise, Lynette, my dear one. And take your place by my side where you belong and where you will remain until your too-brief mortal life comes to an end. And know when that happens, your Goddess will eternally mourn your loss.”

Neferet helped Lynette stand, and even steadied her as she stumbled.

“Kylee! My dear Lynette and I are going up to the balcony to enjoy the sunset. Bring us my favorite wine and something nourishing to eat.” Neferet paused. “A fortifying stew? Would that replenish your strength?”

Feeling utterly detached from any reality she’d ever known before, Lynette nodded. “Yes, please, Goddess.”

“You heard her, Kylee! Lynette wants stew! Get it for her. And check with Tony about my chocolate cake as well. Chocolate goes so well with my favorite red wine.”

As Kybot scampered away, Neferet led Lynette up to her penthouse, speaking sweetly and softly to her the entire way.

“My dear, you said you were at the House of Night. Were they cruel to you?”

“No, they weren’t cruel. They didn’t trust me, though.”

“Did you actually see Thanatos upholding the spell?”

“No, I just saw the mayor’s daughter, Aphrodite, and the healers,” she told the Goddess.

“Those wretched creatures aren’t true vampyre healers. They are mere assistants. Did you know that one of my abilities is that of a healer?”

“No,” Lynette said with genuine surprise. “I wasn’t aware of that.”

“Yes, my dear Lynette. Rest assured that if one of them dared harm you, I could heal you.”

“Thank you, Goddess.”

“I would imagine Detective Marx had many questions for you.”

Lynette ignored the chill that began working its way down her spine and answered the Goddess with complete honesty. “He did. He wanted to know how many people were inside your Temple.”

“And did you tell him, my dear?”

“Yes,” Lynette said without hesitation. “I told him. I also told him how devoted your servants are to you.”

The cloud that had been beginning to form in Neferet’s emerald eyes cleared and she smiled fondly at Lynette. “And he didn’t like hearing that.”

“No. Neither did Aphrodite or Kalona.”

That made Neferet laugh with wicked-sounding glee.

By this time, they had reached the penthouse balcony. Neferet motioned for Lynette to sit at one of two barstools placed around a tall bistro table. On the table was a handgun, one of those dangerous-looking things that people in the movies tended to wave around a lot. Lynette shivered. She was a native Oklahoman, but she hated guns.

The Goddess sat beside her and leaned toward her intimately. “Did you know that today I killed Kalona?”

Lynette nodded. “Yes, I saw it on the news.”

Neferet’s smile was radiant. “Someone filmed it? How fabulous! Oh, and that reminds me, Lynette, when we are free of this place, I want you to hire the best camera crew my endless money can buy. I simply must have an accurate video record of my reign.”

“Yes, Goddess.” Lynette said.

“Hmm, yes. Hire someone to film it, but I will want you to edit the film. It must be the correct version of accurate. Do you understand my meaning?”

“Of course I do,” Lynette said as she gained confidence and slid back into her familiar role. “I wouldn’t allow anything distasteful or unattractive to make the edit cut.”

“Oh, speaking of distasteful and unattractive. I referred to your list while you were taking your small sabbatical. I’m afraid you’ll find I have a few less supplicants than when you left. I think you’ll be pleased to know that I began with those you listed as unattractive and untalented.”

Lynette hesitated only a moment. Then she nodded her head. “Well, Goddess, if you had to begin somewhere, that is where I would have advised.”

“You are so wise, my dear Lynette.”

Kylee hurried in, carrying a silver tray holding two large slices of a delicious-looking chocolate cake decorated with delicate white flowers, a bottle of red wine, and two crystal goblets. Lynette noticed immediately that Kybot’s usually expressionless face looked worried.

“Ah, there you are, Kylee. I was beginning to wonder if you’d lost your way. I trust Tony is busily preparing Lynette’s stew?”

“Yes, Goddess, he is. But there is a problem with the wine.”

Neferet frowned. She looked at the bottle and her frown deepened. “Kylee, this isn’t my favorite.”

“Goddess, we are out of your favorite,” Kylee said in a rush.

“Out of my favorite? How can that be?”

“Goddess, you drank it all, and we cannot leave to go to the liquor store, nor are they allowing us to receive shipments. And Tony sends his sincere apologies, but he wanted you to know that we are running short of supplies in the kitchen as well.” Kylee place the tray on the table and stood trembling, obviously waiting for Neferet to explode in rage. Lynette braced herself, expecting the same.

The Goddess proved them both wrong. Instead of exploding, she spoke calmly. “Pour this wine for Lynette and me. It will do for now. And then tell Tony that I have heard his concerns.”

Kylee’s hand trembled as she did as Neferet commanded. After the girl had left, Neferet lifted the goblet, swirling it and studying it as if it might contain the answer to a great mystery. The Goddess sniffed delicately and then took a sip. She grimaced only slightly.

“It is exceedingly average, but drinkable,” she said. “Go on, my dear. Try it and give me your opinion.”

Lynette went through the motions of swirling the wine, sniffing, and sipping. “I agree with you, Goddess. It isn’t your usual, but it will do.”

“Yes, it will do,” Neferet said, staring down at a spot in the center of the balcony as she swirled the wine and continued to sip.

Lynette knew when to stay silent. She averted her eyes from the Goddess and drank her own wine. Which was, actually, very good.

“Lynette, my dear, if I said to you, The more something is desired, the dearer the sacrifice must be made to attain it, how would you interpret that?”

Lynette’s lack of food mixed with the rich red wine, and she was just tipsy enough to blurt, “That’s easy. It’s why I’m here right now. Nothing and no one means more to me than being successful and surviving. I’ve sacrificed everything in my life for those two things. And it has been worth it.”

“Nothing and no one…” the Goddess mused. Then a long, slow smile lifted Neferet’s lush lips. “After listening to you and an associate of mine, I have just realized how I can break Thanatos’s spell. Now, let us eat cake while we plan the most spectacular event Tulsa has ever witnessed!”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Zoey

Kalona’s funeral was sad and happy at the same time, and it happened super fast. Travis and Shaunee worked together so well it sometimes seemed like they were reading each other’s minds. Darius and Aurox put up an awning to shield her from the sunlight, and from there she gave directions to Aurox, Travis, and a team of humans, which included Detective Marx and the officers who’d put themselves in charge of Kalona’s body, as well as a group of men they’d somehow talked into helping.

All the while a big raven, obviously Rephaim, perched on the edge of the awning roof, right above Shaunee, cocking his head with active interest and silently watching over everything.

It was mid-afternoon when Shaunee said the logs and planks were perfect and called for Kalona’s body. Detective Marx and Darius carried the front of the litter. The TPD officers, in freshly pressed uniforms, and Aurox, dressed all in black, spread out around the rest of the litter, lifting it and walking slowing, in perfect step, to the pyre. I waited beside the pyre with Shaunee, Damien, Lenobia, and Erik. At the last minute, wearing round, heavily tinted Chanel sunglasses, Aphrodite joined us.

“You okay?” I asked her softly.

“No, but too many of the Nerd Herd are missing. Someone has to represent.”

I smiled at her and gave her a quick hug. “Thanks from them.”

“Stop. Seriously. There’s only so much PDA I can take when I’m hungover. Or even when I’m not hungover.”

Then everyone’s attention focused on Kalona’s body as they carried him across the center green. He was covered with a ginormous silver rectangle of cloth. The afternoon sunlight seemed to brighten as he got closer and closer to the pyre, and the material shined and fluttered as if it were made of liquid mercury.

“That’s incredible,” I said. “I’ve never seen anything like that cloth.”

“I found it in the drama room and gave it to Damien for Kalona’s shroud,” Erik said. “But it didn’t shine like that inside.”

“It’s Erebus,” Damien said. “He’s put magick in the sunlight for his brother.”

I blinked fast, and was so focused on not crying that I didn’t notice the people until Shaunee pointed them out.

“Wow, check out all the humans!”

Led by Travis, a long line of somber people were trailing out of the field house.

“They liked him,” Lenobia said. When I gave her my question mark look, she explained, “Kalona fascinated the humans, but it seems they also truly liked him. He was patient with their questions and didn’t get angry when children tugged on his feathers.”

“So kids did actually grab his feathers,” Aphrodite said. “Wish I’d seen that.”

“And also you have to remember that interview made him look like a hero,” Lenobia said. “And the YouTube thing went viral.”

“Kalona was a hero,” Shaunee said firmly. “He saved Rephaim. He tried his best to save Grandma Redbird. He saved a bunch of us in front of the Mayo. He even died trying to save someone he’d never met. He made terrible mistakes in his life, but at the end, he was on the right side—he did the right thing.”

“And Nyx forgave him,” I said, agreeing with her.

The raven, circling low over our heads, croaked as if agreeing with Shaunee, too. And then he landed in the oak tree nearest the pyre, perching on a thick branch that extended toward it.

“Zoey, I’ll help Travis circle the people. You can start whenever you’re ready.” I nodded and then turned to Shaunee.

“I think you should speak. He and I had too much history.” She started to protest, but I interrupted her. “I don’t mean that I have any bad feelings about Kalona now. Actually, I haven’t for a while. But that’s different from being his friend. His friend should speak at his funeral, and I think you were his friend.”

“I’m agreeing with Z,” Aphrodite said.

“As am I,” Damien said.

“But I don’t know what to say,” Shaunee said.

“Yes you do.” Erik took her hand and smiled intimately at her. “You’re good at saying what you feel. Just do that for Kalona one more time.”

Huh! They’ve got something going on between them! I was honestly happy for them.

“Okay, I’ll do it,” Shaunee said.

“I’ll follow you with the torch. Let me know when you want me to give it to you,” I said.

Shaunee nodded, lifted her chin, and walked purposefully through the circle of people to stand in front of Kalona’s pyre.

The already quiet crowd went absolutely silent. I heard Shaunee draw in a big breath, and then she began, “Kalona was our High Priestess’s Warrior, and Protector of this House of Night. He was my friend. He was father to his son, Rephaim. Those things are important—Warrior, friend, and father—but Kalona was something more. He was an ancient walking this earth among us, for good or ill, a constant reminder that our world is filled with magickal forces. Kalona was tangible proof that those forces can be awe-inspiring and awesome, frightening and mesmerizing, wonderful and terrible—all at the same time. He was our superhero, and even a superhero sometimes makes mistakes. Ours did, but in the end he kept his oath and sacrificed himself to protect us. When I remember Kalona, I’ll remember him with respect and love, always love.”

Shaunee motioned to me, and I stepped forward, handing her the burning torch I carried.

“Now you should all move back three big paces. I’m going to light Kalona’s pyre, and it’s going to be bright and hot. But you don’t need to be scared. Fire listens to me, and I give you my oath that I will only use it to protect and serve goodness and Light.” I saw her exchange smiles with Detective Marx and the uniformed officers. When everyone had moved far enough back, Shaunee said, “Fire, I call you to me. Light a blaze that Kalona will see all the way from the Otherworld!”

She touched the torch to the pyre, and fire roared from it, like she had just turned on a flamethrower. At the same instant a beam of light speared from the west, intensifying Shaunee’s already awesome blaze. We all shuffled back farther, though no one acted scared or panicked. Above us, Kalona’s son, in the form of a raven, called mournfully over and over. As dark shapes circled far above us, throwing strange shadows over the pyre, Rephaim’s cries echoed in the wind, and I realized that it wasn’t just one raven I was hearing, but hundreds of them.

Zoey

With the help of fire and, we suspected, a major dose of sunlight, the pyre had burned faster than any I’d ever seen before. Aphrodite, Damien, Erik, and I hadn’t left yet, even though we were all doing a lot of yawning. No one said it, but I guessed they felt a lot like I did—I didn’t want to leave Rephaim perched up there by himself, cawing pathetically. Stevie Rae would want us to stay. Hell, Kalona would probably even want us to stay. So we stayed.

The humans had mostly wandered back inside, though some of the children had discovered a bunch of jump ropes in the Warriors’ gym, and they were noisily skipping up and down the sidewalk.

Aphrodite looked over the black rim of her sunglasses at the kids. “I don’t know why anyone would purposefully procreate.”

I grimaced as one of the children laughed so shrilly that I was pretty sure I heard Duchess howl in response.

“And this is the perfect time for me to make my exit back to Thanatos,” Shaunee said. “Even though I kinda like kids. I used to babysit for friends of my parents who were so rich their playroom was like a Toys R Us store.”

Aphrodite shuddered delicately. “Why did your parents hate you so much?”

Detective Marx joined us. “It was a nice funeral. Shaunee, what you said was perfect.”

“Thanks,” she said, smiling at the tall detective.

“Hey, I’m going to take that ambulance back to St. John’s, and the other officers are going off duty. I’ll get my truck and come on back here for the night.”

“Shouldn’t you go home to your daughters? They gotta be missing you,” Shaunee said.

Marx smiled. “My daughters and my wife are right over there.” He pointed at the group of jump-roping girls.

“Of course they are,” Aphrodite muttered.

We ignored her. “Want to hitch a ride with us?” Marx asked Shaunee. “I can swing you by the Council Oak Tree on my way back to the station.”

Erik cleared his throat. “If it’s okay with you guys, I’ll take Shaunee back and hang out there for a while.”

I shrugged. “Okay by me.”

“Awesome!” Erik said, smiling at Shaunee. “And tell Aurox he doesn’t need to worry about relieving me until sunrise tomorrow. I know the Warriors have a lot on their plate here with all these humans.”

“I’ll tell him,” I said. And everyone except Aphrodite scattered.

“When did they become a thing?” Aphrodite asked.

“Right? I was wondering the same thing.”

“Guess he needed a backup plan since Shaylin turned gay.”

“Aphrodite, you do realize what you just said was full of stereotypes, don’t you?”

“Yes. It’s figurative language I hate, not English in general,” she said, rolling her eyes.

I frowned at her and shook my head. “Shaunee is an awesome person—and gorgeous. Erik could want to be with her for those reasons and not just because he needs to be with someone to make up for Shaylin.”

Aphrodite started to say something and then stopped herself, thought, and started again. “Actually, you might be right. Erik has changed since he was ‘our Erik,’” she air-quoted. “He’s turning out to be an okay guy. Just don’t ever tell him I said that.”

“I won’t.”

“Plus,” she said as she watched the two of them walk down the sidewalk together, “they’re reminding me of Olivia and the president in Scandal. I’m liking this whole black girl–white boy thing. It’s attractive. Not to mention how it broadens the typical white boy point of view. Goddess knows they need it.”

“That’s the most politically correct thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

“You are welcome, retard,” she said. “Go get some sleep. I’ll see you after sunset.” But before she could twitch away, Kramisha ran up to us, teetering on six-inch over-the-knee patent-leather boots, holding her hoodie up over her head so it wouldn’t mess up her flaming red wig. Even with the giant mirrored gold sunglasses she had on I could tell she was scowling.

“Your boots are crazy,” Aphrodite told her.

“Don’t start with me. I didn’t get my sleep.” Kramisha pulled out a piece of her purple notepaper from inside her giant tote and shoved it toward us.

“Oh, hell no!” Aphrodite took a step back. “That’s for Z.”

“Act like you’ve got some damn sense. It’s not like I’m out here ’cause I wanna be. Here, Z.” She handed me the paper. “It is for you.”

I wanted to scream and drop it like it was a spider, but I was trying to be grown up and have some damn sense. So instead I sighed and took the paper, reading the poem aloud:

Inevitable as death

Wield the Old Magick

His sacrifice accepted.

“Um, late much?” Aphrodite said. “Even I can tell that haiku’s about Kalona, and he’s already dead.”

“Do. Not. Speak.” Kramisha held her finger up at Aphrodite. Obviously thinking she had Aphrodite under control, she turned to me. “I got a strong feelin’ that you gotta get that stone back from Frodo over there.”

“I will beat you with my brush if you call me Frodo again.”

“Shhh!” I told Aphrodite. Then faced Kramisha, “I can’t wield it until I’ve figured out how not to turn into another Neferet.”

“Neferet’s broke. You ain’t. Old Magick is the only chance we have at beatin’ a goddess. So use it or you won’t have to worry ’bout turnin’ into a crazy bitch because we’ll all be the slaves of a crazy bitch.” Kramisha snapped her head around to glare at Aphrodite. “I’m leavin’ before she makes some stupid-assed slave joke that’ll make me have to go all Jackie Brown on her.” And Kramisha tottered away.

“Who’s Jackie Brown?”

“I have no clue,” I said.

“Maybe we should ask Shaunee.”

I sighed. “Maybe we should focus on how I can use the stupid stone!”

“You want my opinion?”

I stifled another sigh and said, “Yes.”

“Wear the stone. You know what it’s capable of now. Keep a check on yourself. We’ll all keep a check on you—this time out in the open. If you start to snap, you’ll be tackled by a Herd of Nerds. Literally and figuratively.”

“I really don’t have any choice, do I?”

“Not anymore you don’t. Neferet figured out how to kill Kalona. She’s going to figure out how to break the protective spell. Then she’s going to come after us. Mostly you, but the fallout will include the rest of us.”

“You’re right. Give me back the stupid stone.”

Aphrodite reached under the neck of her shirt and pulled out a delicate silver chain, long enough that she didn’t have to unclasp it to take it off. From the chain dangled the deceptively innocent-looking Seer Stone.

“It always reminds me of a coconut Life Saver,” I said, reluctant to touch it. “That’s a pretty chain.”

“It’s platinum. Try not to fuck it up, because I want it back. The chain, not the stone. Stop stalling and take it.” She held it out so I had to do exactly that. “You know, your first step in this whole wield-the-Old-Magick thing might have something to do with you working on your confidence. Z, if you don’t believe you can do this, there’s no damn way you’re going to be able to do this.”

“I know.” I put the chain around my neck and tucked the stone under my T-shirt. Then I waited for something to happen.

Aphrodite snorted. “Seriously? You walked around with that thing for weeks before you went postal.”

“Well, something could happen!” I said defensively.

“Yeah, sure, and Oklahoma could elect a female Democrat to the Senate, hell could freeze over, pigs could fly, blah, blah. Relax. Stressing over it can’t help.”

“Okay, yeah, you’re right.”

“I love hearing that twice in one conversation.”

“Don’t get used to it.” Aphrodite rolled her eyes and started to twitch away. I called after her, “Hey, I’m sending a group text. We gotta have a serious brainstorming session. Everyone needs to meet in the professors’ dining hall for breakfast. Fifteen minutes after sunset.”